Boston Bruins must keep things clean in Game 4 against Washington

Although Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom has been suspended by the NHL for Game 4, the Bruins should take that decision as a warning that the league will deal more severely with disciplinary issues now than at the start of the playoffs. (BRUINS at CAPITALS: 7:35 p.m. Thursday; NESN, WBZ-FM/98.5. Bruins lead best-of-7 series, 2-1)

By Mike Loftus

MetroWest Daily News, Framingham, MA

By Mike Loftus

Posted Apr. 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 19, 2012 at 7:07 PM

By Mike Loftus

Posted Apr. 19, 2012 at 12:01 AM
Updated Apr 19, 2012 at 7:07 PM

BOSTON

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Here we go. These teams finally dislike each other. We’ve got a series now, right?

Boyhood friend or not, Karl Alzner was probably unwise to taunt Milan Lucic with that “crybaby” gesture, and then laugh when Lucic was sent to the penalty box.

Coach Dale Hunter was out of line to accuse the Bruins of intentionally targeting the head of Capitals center Nicklas Backstrom – not just because Hunter was such a dirty player, but also because the Bruins have been negatively impacted by head injuries like few other NHL teams.

And Backstrom, obviously, was wrong to cross-check Rich Peverley in the visor as time ran out on Game 3 – an opinion backed by NHL vice president Brendan Shanahan, who declined to rescind the automatic one-game suspension Backstrom got for being assessed a match penalty.

So the Bruins, who lead the best-of-7 series 2-1 even though they haven’t shown the Caps their best game yet, have a slightly better chance to win Game 4 tonight. Washington won enough without Backstrom in its lineup for 40 regular-season games (ironically, he had a concussion) to know how to function without him, but he’s also capable of a point per game (44, in 42 games), makes their power play better, and scored their double-overtime winner in Game 2. The Caps are better with him than without him.

The fact that Shanahan suspended Backstrom, however, sends a message to everyone still competing in the playoffs – including, maybe especially, the Bruins.

Significant about Backstrom’s suspension is that he’s an elite player who had no prior record of supplementary discipline – no fines, warnings or suspensions. In a somewhat similar situation at the start of the playoffs, Shanahan chose only to fine Nashville’s Shea Weber – among the NHL’s best defensemen – when he rammed Henrik Zetterberg’s head into the glass at the end of Game 1 against Detroit.

There’s a school of thought that by letting Weber off for $2,500 and a warning, Shanahan set a too-low standard for what would be tolerated this postseason. Enough mayhem has since ensued that he’s had to suspend nine players in this first round – a list that now includes name players like Backstrom and Pittsburgh’s James Neal.

Shanahan suspended three Bruins (Lucic, Brad Marchand and Andrew Ference) this season, a total matched by only three other teams. Lucic has a prior suspension and fine on his resumé, and Marchand’s suspension for clipping Vancouver’s Sami Salo was likely so severe (5 games) because he and the league had previously been in talks about low hits.

Page 2 of 2 - That’s not to suggest Shanahan has anything against the Bruins, but a word to the wise is in order before Game 4. Neither Lucic nor Marchand has a point in the series yet, but the B’s need their varied assets in the lineup. Ference is critical, too – especially with Adam McQuaid out of the lineup due to injury.

The Bruins can’t hope to win a hands-off hockey game. At the same time, they must keep contact clean, legally low, and preferably in the course of play. There’s more focus on this series now than before, and Shanahan’s tolerance level has almost hit zero.